As winter rages on, many Americans from northern climates may be in the throes of SAD, or seasonal affective disorder — a form of clinical depression that typically worsens as the seasons change. If you’re like most people with the condition, your symptoms are at their worst during the months with the shortest days — December, January, and February.

Interestingly enough, experts say those affected by SAD first experience symptoms between the ages of 18 and 30. This means that millennials may be more likely to experience ongoing symptoms that any other age group. However, millennials are growing up and starting to take wellness seriously. One indicator of this is the fact that 56% of millennials have visited a spa within the last year, according to the International Spa Association. With a greater focus on mental health awareness and treatment options, younger generations can find natural treatments that boost mood and relaxation.

Here are just a few natural treatment options to explore if you’re experiencing any of the symptoms associated with seasonal affective disorder.

Light Therapy

Light therapy is proven to be one of the most effective forms of natural treatment for seasonal affective disorder. Since natural sunlight comes in very limited quantities during the winter months, supplementing the amount you’re exposed to using a light box can help you see significant improvements in mood. Many experts say that light therapy is the best treatment available.

Although the effects of light therapy don’t last too long, getting just 15 to 30 minutes of light therapy each morning can boost your mood for the rest of the day. Light boxes are available without a prescription, but if possible, it’s recommended to consult a health professional before use due to the fact that the treatment involves UV exposure.

Clean Eating

Eating healthy foods can be difficult when your body craves sweets and other junk food, but it’s important to do what you can to try to make healthy replacements whenever possible. Figure out which healthy foods you enjoy, and then incorporate them into as many meals as you can. And don’t be mistaken — contrary to popular belief, it’s not all about nutrition facts. During your next trip to the grocery store, take some time to look at ingredients. A bit of research into our food industry will provide insight regarding many ingredients that are incredibly common in today’s processed foods, yet come with some unsavory health effects that can even affect mood. A good rule of thumb is that the fewer ingredients something has, the cleaner and less processed it is. Again, making small replacements here and there can really help you develop a cleaner diet.

Better Sleep

If you have trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep as a result of seasonal affective disorder, you may have already tried some natural remedies, like having a cup of tea at bedtime or turning off the television early. But if these methods aren’t doing the trick, using the elements of sound may help you ease into restful sleep. Even something as simple as a beating watch next to your pillow can help soothe your senses and lull you to sleep. The beat of a watch is the sound of it “ticking,” usually about 1/5 of a second — the escape wheel striking the pallets produces the sound. Of course, you can also invest in a sound machine for a wider variety of sounds, or take to YouTube for the virtually infinite white noise options.

Don’t Forget…

These options may help to provide temporary relief from the symptoms associated with seasonal affective disorder. However, they certainly do not replace the informed advice of a medical professional. While you might not be joining the approximately 110 million ER visits that occur annually, you have resources. There are plenty of medical professionals whose sole job is to help patients who are suffering from depression or other mental health issues. And of course, if you or someone you love is in immediate danger due to poor mental health, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24 hours a day to provide confidential support through both cellular and online chat.

No matter how you look at it, the facts speak volumes: over 80% of depressed individuals do not seek out professional help. And regardless of the type or cause of your depression, understanding natural treatment options and knowing when to reach out to a professional is the key to improving your quality of life.

While it can be easy to spend the summer grazing on healthy fruits and veggies, winter does not lend itself quite as nicely to a fresh foods diet. As the weather turns chilly, people often turn to high-carbohydrate and starchy foods. And without the necessary balance of nutrients, the body can be prone to more inflammation. For the 50 million people who have arthritis especially, this can be painful and can lead to further health conditions.

“There are times when inflammation actually helps us,” Dawna Stone writes in Mind Body Green. “For example, it can be the body’s natural response to eliminate or repair an injury or the body’s response to harmful bacteria. But when things get out of balance and inflammation becomes chronic, it can increase the risk of diseases such as cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and rheumatoid arthritis and cause symptoms like fatigue and joint pain.”

Fortunately, winter is not totally void of inflammation-fighting foods. The following are some seasonal ingredients that you can cook with to boost your health this season.

Brussels SproutsThese bunches of green goodness are packed with both fiber and vitamin C. They are also rich in glucosinolate and folate, so they can fight inflammation while keeping you healthier overall. Roast them in the oven to eat as a side or toss them in a salad.

KaleThis superfood has earned its name, offering high doses of vitamins A, C, B6, and K. By munching on these leaves, you are also helping your body’s ability to eliminate free radicals. Try kale raw or cooked in any of your favorite winter dishes.

Butternut SquashWhen it comes to eating the rainbow, butternut squash is one of the best ways to get the color orange. Full of fiber, as well as vitamins A and C, this sweet seasonal veggie can add antioxidants and fiber to your diet.

TurnipsWhile these root veggies may not frequent your dishes, turnips are a tasty way to maintain a low cholesterol diet. They also offer a boost of Vitamin C, which can help protect your immune system this season. Don’t just stop at the root though; turnip greens are tasty as well.

CitrusStock up on oranges this time of year. These juicy fruits are in season during the Winter, giving you all the more reason to get your full supply of vitamin C.

By combining anti-inflammatory foods with other care methods, you can control your join pain and other aspects of your health this winter. For example, about 89% of consumers cite massage as an effective pain-management technique. Remember that much of your own well being is in your hands, so try various methods out until you feel your best.

In our modernized and industrial world, society is constantly looking for ways to improve sustainability and pave the path toward an eco-friendly future. One major feat involved with increasing sustainability is limiting carbon and greenhouse gas emissions. About 88% of Americans reported owning a car in 2014, but as the population continues to grow, drivers have a moral responsibility to make choices that keep the best interests of our planet in mind. Here are just a few eco-friendly features you should look for when buying your next vehicle.

Emission Sensors

The Environmental Protection Agency has officially mandated vehicle manufacturers to limit carbon emissions in order to keep our air cleaner and reduce smog and pollution. Fortunately, there are a number of emission sensors and other controls designed to help your vehicle maintain maximum efficiency when it comes to emissions. According to Autotrader’s Car Buyer of the Future study, 84% of consumers prefer to buy a car in person, so as you browse eco-friendly vehicles at your local dealership, don’t be afraid to inquire about the various sensors and controls designed to limit emissions and ensure the vehicle passes emission standards in your state.

Air Filtration Systems

Americans say they spend an average of 87 minutes a day in their cars. This time can add up quicker than you’d think. Fortunately, some new vehicle models are equipped with a medical-grade air filtration system that removes about 99.97% of exhaust pollution from the vehicle’s cabin, ensuring that you and any passengers along for the ride have clean air for the entire commute. These systems also eliminate other impurities from the air, including bacteria and allergens.

“This is a feature that more and more makers of eco-friendly vehicles are planning to install in their cars. You might not be able to purify all the air in the world, but you can have a substantial effect on your immediate surroundings,” writes Blue And Green Tomorrow.

Inflatable Rear Seatbelts

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration classifies a car’s windshield as one of the primary components of a vehicle’s safety restraint system, but seatbelts have saved countless lives and are also a worthwhile method of reducing injuries from car accidents. Ford is the first manufacturer to include an inflatable component in its hybrid vehicles’ seatbelts so that in the event of a collision, the belt provides better coverage and cushioning than their traditional counterparts. This can drastically help to reduce injuries and the subsequent medical costs associated with them. These inflatable belts are also available in child size.

Radar Systems

One feature that you’ll see on many new vehicles is the addition of a radar system into the dashboard. This accident prevention device is designed to help the driver avoid other vehicles and obstructions while driving and/or backing up.

“Radar alerts are new devices increasingly installed in eco-friendly vehicles to warn the driver when you’re getting too close to a car in front of you, which can be useful in traffic. In some instances, the car will brake automatically to prevent a collision,” writes Blue And Green Tomorrow.

Furthermore, these devices are considered eco-friendly due to the countless accidents they can prevent. Car accidents cost the country billions in healthcare costs and cleanup, and these devices can truly help to keep wrecked vehicles out of landfills with every accident prevented.

Ultimately, being aware of the latest and greatest eco-friendly vehicle features can help you to remain an eco-conscious driver and consumer. It’s always important to be aware of even the small steps you can take to improve sustainability.

Childhood obesity has been a major issue in the United States for many years, and now it’s about to become more apparent than ever. Currently, the national childhood obesity rate is 18.5%. However, the LA Times says that by the time today’s children turn 35, 57% of them will be obese.

A study by Harvard researchers says most of the children that are bound to become obese are not currently obese. The study claims that health experts dropped the ball in terms of childhood obesity.

“Our findings highlight the importance of promoting a healthy weight throughout childhood and adulthood,” the researchers said in the study. “A narrow focus solely on preventing childhood obesity will not avert potential future health damage that may be induced by the ongoing obesity epidemic.”

The team of researchers had one specific question they were focusing on in this study. Zachary Ward, the leader of the team, commented on the question.

“We wanted to predict for children now at a certain weight and certain age, what’s the probability that they will have obesity at the age of 35?” Ward said.

The researchers say they picked the age 35 because that’s when many health issues related to weight, including obesity and diabetes, begin.

Along with the study from Harvard, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 20% of children ages six to 19 are already obese.

The study from Harvard that was published in the New England Journal of Medicine says that children who are currently not obese are the only ones that have a better chance of not becoming obese in the future. On the other side, heavier children have more of a chance of being an obese adult. The study says that an obese two-year-old has a 79% chance of being obese as an adult. An obese 19-year-old has a 94% chance of being obese by the time they reach 35 years of age.

WDTV reports that helping children maintain a healthy weight starts with their parents or guardians.

Today, nutritional information is only a click away, so digestive woes often lead people to search for an allergy or intolerance. And in recent years, gluten intolerance has become somewhat of a buzzword for health-conscious individuals.

While many people are giving up this grain protein in suspicion of an intolerance, a recent study brings up another possible culprit:

Fructan.

This is according to a recent study by researchers at Monash University in Australia and the University of Oslo in Norway. Published in Gastroenterology, the study focused on people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity. The 59 people involved in the study were on gluten free-diets by choice, and they were instructed to eat a diet including gluten, fructan, or a placebo for seven days. They then rated their gastrointestinal discomfort, including stomach pain and bloating, on a scale.

According to Healthline, test subjects who are fructan were higher on this scale than those who ate gluten or the placebo. These research opens possibilities for those who may not need to be eating gluten-free. Dr. Amy Burkhart said in a statement to Healthline that a fructan intolerance test and one for non-celiac gluten sensitivity have not yet been developed. She said that physicians typically start by testing for celiac disease, which affects about 1% of the population.

“Celiac disease must be ruled out before the pathway to determine fructan versus gluten is undertaken, as it will require removal of gluten to determine,” she said. “If gluten is removed from the diet, celiac testing is invalid. If symptoms have resolved with a gluten-free diet, most people will refuse to reintroduce gluten once it is removed… The treatments, diet, and follow-up care are different so differentiation is important.”

Dr. Burkhart also told Healthline that non-celiac gluten sensitivity may soon be classified as non-celiac wheat sensitivity, as researchers learn more about how the components of wheat impact the human body.

“There are other components of wheat that appear to be culprits in gluten sensitivity such as the fructans and amylase-trypsin inhibitors (ATI) proteins [found in wheat],” she said. “Others are also being investigated.”

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Hello + Welcome

My name is Jennie Lyon. I am a green lifestyle writer, owner of a virtual assistant firm + mother of one teenage boy in sunny Florida. I post on simple, fun ways families can go green together - starting with my own.

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I write several posts a month on sustainable living for families at Applegate.

As a member of Target Inner Circle I will be sharing an insider's scoop on the ways Target is committed to environmental sustainability, education, community safety, and healthy living.

I write a bi-monthly green lifestyle column and article for the monthly newsletter at Cascadian Farm.

I write several posts a week on sustainable design for children and families at Inhabitots.

I am helping to educate others and improve the eating habits of families across the country at Stonyfield.